Consequences of Using Power.

 

Power affects both those who exercise it and those who are subjected to it. On the one hand, the person who has power changes in both positive and negative ways. On the other handm being the target of power and influence also has consequences. Power changes people.

 

The consequences of power on followers depend to a great extent on the source and manner in which leaders use it.

 

The three most typical reactions to use of power and attempts at influencing others are:

 

• Commitment: happens when followers welcome the influence process and accept it as reasonable and legitimate.

• Compliance: In this case, although followers accept the influence process and go along with the request, they do not feel any personal acceptance or deep commitment to carry out the order. Subordinates go along with their boss simply because they are supposed to.

• Resistance: The target in this case does not agree with the attempt at influence and either actively or passively resists it. Examples of resistance to a leader’s authority abound in our institutions. The most dramatic ones occur in the labor-management disputes when employees who typically either accept or comply with management’s requests refuse to do so and take overt or covert action against management.